Ian Abel

Morning...nowt much to offer today, -12 going for -7 and cloudy. The reported weather news is that we NOW have surpassed the 50 days below 0F this winter. Another record. You'll get a kick out of this item - yesterday was the LIMIT for ice-fishing houses on lakes in the lower half of Minnesota. It's a strange pastime by any accounts, you drag a hut at least the size of a decent garden shed out onto a frozen lake, often equipped with a generator, TV, small fridge, and seating, drill hole(s) in the ice and sit there drinking beer and fishing through the hole(s), some folks even sleep in them at weekends. Anyway, they have to be removed by law on March 3rd.( 17th in northern Minnesota), so there aren't issues with them disappearing into the lakes - apparently there's no extension/reprieve even in winters like this, so lots of folks are having major problems as said ice-houses are actually FROZEN onto the lakes due to all the snow and ice we've got so far and they can't get them off. Got some track-laying done last night, and nearly completed running the last bus wire too. Progress, albeit slow. We've now got "kitchen fever" going apace here too. Whilst not a complete remodel, we've decided we need to create a more workable environment for the remaining time in this house (3-5 years probably, then downsize). Going to open it up and put a large island in the available space. Silly me, I thought it would be a "slow process", but having visited IKEA Sunday (that NEVER goes/bodes well), we've now been signalled onto the up-fast line it seems! Calling our contractor to find out what his April schedule is like and scouring the countryside for appliances now - there goes "modelling time" again, a second cousin to important matters of the house <sigh> Have a nice Tuesday.

One of the favourites I saw (California I think) was W**A**N**K**E**R as that also is missed here but becoming slightly recognised/understood now. Not that it would be sensible to have that on one's own car - maybe I can pay to have it put on one of the Soccer Mom SUVs! Far as the vanity plates go, many states only allow folks to have them for a finite period of time, used to be 5-years I think here, but now far as I know you can keep them forever so long as you pay the added value cost to the DMV every time it's due. The only specialty plates they won't allow you to own/transfer are "ham radio callsign". I know this as the Mrs father was an avid radio ham, started before they invented radio best I can tell, and had a very unique callsign "W0HB". Unique because it was obviously very old due to being just 4-characters and the ZERO apparently. We wanted to keep it registered when he died for one of the family cars, but you're not allowed to <sigh>. We've got the paltes of course, but the kids thought it'd be nice if they could have had it for one of their cars...oh well. 4:40PM here and going on at -13 still - we are promised it'll be -2 or warmer by Friday, but I'm not starting to clear the runway for the pigs just yet.... Off for a walk around the Mall then some modelling tonight I hope/think/pray!

Phew - sorry for that rant Similar to shortliner, I similarly encounter the bas!@#tar!@#ds fellow road-users on the day(s) I drive in to the office,. Dunno about there, but here they apparently sell all these high end flash-mobiles without turn signals, they must be an option - BECAUSE NO-ONE EVER USES THEM!!!!!! Are we GOM or what! Maybe its the birthday that tipped me over the edge this week -

Ack!! Don't get me started....first comment is exactly what I thought when Jag announced back in the late 60's they were addin power steering and an automatic tranny to the E-Type. My '64 handled like a DREAM, a treu DRIVERS CAR (I owned it in the mid-70's), unfortunately the old farts and fartesses who could afford a new one back then couldn't manage to park the bloody thing OR change gear apparently so they tarted it up to a luxury prat-mobile for the folks that wanted to "look" the part but wouldn't manage to drive it to its full potential even if they were give a 100 years to try <grumble> <moan> <complain> The 4x4/SUV crowd are another bunch of numb-nuts over here. I live in a suburb of Minneapolis (in a "real" house, I'm not rich) that is also the haven for the pseudo-upper class over-extended wannabees. They ALL have expensive SUVs, many preferring a nice new Range Rover that gets washed about 12 times a WEEK - the teenagers drive them to school often! They wouldn't even know how to get it up over a KERB if asked. They just like to look-the-part whilst blabbing away on their cell phones - YES, it's still legal to talk on the phone while driving in this state!! - and waiting in line at the Starbucks drive-up after dropping the kiddies at school. They're referred to as soccer-moms here, as soccer is actually an elitest school activity and played more at the "better" schools <aarrggghhh> Not a ONE of them probably knows anything about the transmission options they have - they just open the car with the power locks fob, insert key (OR NOT on the flashier models) and drive, whilst also putting on makeup - it's a wonder they even manage to get it from Park to Drive IMHO, there'll probably be an option for them soon, so they don't have to deal with all the complications of THAT!....

My fave is actually a Mocha/Chocolate chip blizzard - you have to "ask", and some stores will give you a quizical look, but they do make it, it's found in the list of special items, and it's GREAT

"Wot Andrew sed" as he beat me to it - hardly surprising as I get here later than almost everyone <sigh>. It's state regulated and states are "all over the board" with their regulations. Minnesota is also a 2-plate state, but we do have vanity plates here. Pay extra and put what you please, up to 7 characters, on the plate, so long as it's unique, and not rude! "BOLLOKS" - the closest spelling you can get, isnt' considered a no-no as they don't get the term over here - I'm tempted Weldind gear at the ready Pete - still at -23 here this morning and just making records as we go - yesterday was the coldest MARCH day since 1962 here!!!! Say WHAT!!! Of course, we're also predicted to be around freezing by Thursday/Friday with somewhat of a thaw going one for a few days. Fairly satisfied with the modelling yesterday, although I STILL only got about 1/3 of the time I was hoping for, but did get the lead road and two tracks down into the engine shed area and turntable - I can now run a loco all the way from my main station to the turntable and spin them around - YAY! Concert last night was predictably incredible - we're blessed with amazing musicians, who then have a slew of friends they invite to the concerts. The only down side was that we had to be there for rehersal at 5PM and the concert didn't finish until 9:45 - with the choir spending all that time between sitting and standing on the risers except for a 40 minute refreshment break between the rehersal and the concert - my 65-year old arse isn't well equipped for that sort of duty!!! So we start Monday cold (well outside anyway), tired and sore, but smiling at least. No to do some SQL scripting - oh yay!

Andrew, Actually I'd figure that was probably the case, but it also turns out I LIKE DQ Ice Cream cake, and also eat ice cream (more than I'm told I should!!) even this time of year, so mostly, I figured clarification was needed - thanks anyway

Actually no - my wife always makes a cheesecake (that's to die for) for my birthday, so I'd not replace it with anything Just had some actually, had an early "supper" this afternoon as I'm off to a concert in about an hour - the choir I sing in are backing three different pianists in a concert this evening.

9AM here and a Birthday FIRST!! In 65 years I've never had a birthday where it is -26C in the morning - B!@#$!UU!@$!@$GG!@$!@$EE@!$#!@$RRR!!! All for now, off for breakfast and some modelling

Funny that - I related this "feature" of British life to my wife and kids years back when the kids were maybe 3-4 at the time. It's STUCK to this day, and Mrs got me this morning. We HAVE had to invoke a "can't be done via text, but PHONE CALL is permissible" rule, given the kids are now scattered to the wind - well corners of Minnesota at least. I had forgotten the "White Rabbit" bit, so will add that and see how it goes down. -19 here and cloudy, high expected -17 - bah humbug. We're off in about 3 hours to see son do the Polar Plunge, seems we might get frozen ourselves just WATCHING in this weather. Note: Don't EVER think that if you perceive a free weekend, it'll actually MATERIALIZE! I've now discovered that in addition to the Polar Plunge watching; i) we "need" to clear out the small office on the main floor as it's being re-decorated starting Monday ii) we MUST go to IKEA and a couple of other places to look at various kitchen components for the potential upcoming kitchen revise iii) sundy other tasks... I'm GOING to do some modelling even if it's at 11PM tonight - will report back, and tomorrow on my birthday, FOR SURE (yeah, dream on!!). Of course in addition to all the above, to compliment Ash, the choir have our "Concert" appearance tomorrow evening, call is for 5PM for an almost complete rehersal/run-through, and concert starts at 7PM. On the postman front, whilst I truly sympathize with those having issues, I have to say that even with the lambasting the US Mail gets here, I've never (touch wood) had any problems at all in the twenty plus years in this house. They're on-time, friendly, generally leave items they should, are concientious when we're NOT here at leaving a note and redelivering, never let packages get wrecked, never skulk around and avoid delivering packages, so I'm well pleased... Make best use of the weekend everyone

I consider this a "good buy".... was looking for any CCT van, would have preferred BR/SR green, but beggars, etc., etc. http://www.ebay.com/itm/221376968135?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_386wt_1285 Most of the others of all makes I see go from 10-15 quid and up! Whilst I didn't necessarily need a Wrenn version it's suitable for my purposes. I was intending to paint it, partly as an exercise, but may actually leave it as it. The occasional good part of being in the US is this sort of thing shows up and when they don't also list it for international shipping thre's a good chance it can be had for a low price. 15.50USD plus 3 for shipping is good IMHO!! There's no box for either van, and I can take-or-leave the cattle van, but they arrived today and are truly MINT condition, doubt they have ever been run. Anyone want/need a Wrenn cattle van with no box!

To contradict their own contradiction - it now stopped after less than 3/4 inch of snow fell - I am resolved to ask Bob (my train invader cat) for all future weather forecasts, he'll have more of a clue than anyone as he spends a LOT of the day looking out the window...

About 2 years ago we finally outsourced the mowing - takes about 2-hours to mow the mess here and with the kids gone, there was no-one to throw out there and get it done, except ME! The BETTER news is the the "nice young man", as the Mrs puts it, runs a lawn/yard service in the summer and a snowplowing/shovelling service in the winter. All that happens now when it snows is we get woken earlier than usual as he's out there plowing the driveway before we get up after overnight snows! Summer is even better, just sit on the back deck with a G&T and revel in the sight of a neatly mowed/trimmed lawn without the annoyance of having just spent two hours pissing my life away behind a noisy mower!!!!

Well, in the words of the prophet, "CHIEN MERDE" 'ello I wish to register a complaint (with apologies to ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npjOSLCR2hE )- apparently the weather-watchers/predictors don't know squat and don't even have windows to check from!! It's now snowing moderately and a light wind blowing to boot and apparently not going to quit until we get a few more inches (nothing like Pete is in for) but more !#@$!@$!@$ snow and not forecast... I may need to take a job as a weatherforecaster since apparently there is ZERO requirement to be accurate, in your job description <grumble>

Best of luck Pete - that's plenty of snow to deal with, even if it comes down at a fairly slow rate...keep the shovel handy and make sure you have the most important supplies - amply quantities of favourite foods and beverages We've still got about 30" compressed snow depth on the ground, but with the exception of a "dusting" (if the weather-guessers are anywhere near correct...) this weekend we're possibly free of additional snow fall for a while - just remaining bloody cold -17 now, who's cares, who's counting any more... all the local roads are essentially skating rinks as there is not enough warmth to START to get the ice treatments to work. I may go to a "local" train show tomorrow (90 miles away, but they are few and far, literally, between here and as an RM local Brit, AND another "Ian" is exibiting I'd like to try), mostly depends on if I want to get up too early, rush up there and leave by noon in time to get back and watch my son "jump in the lake" for the Special Olympic Polar Plunge charity event. Wish his team was jumping earlier rather than 2:30 <sigh>, like 9AM! Besides that, should be a good/great weekend for modelling - the railway modeller in the house (guess who ) has a birthday Sunday so should be afforded some "flexibility" in what he wants to do - I LIVE IN HOPE!!

Morning all... Was up at 6 today so I could take daughter to the airport as she's off to Florida for a few days - lucky thing! Now it's got just plain stupid/idiotic here (if it wasn't before!!) - at 6AM and still NOW three hours later it's -25C with a windchill of -36C it's hardly worth bothering anymore about writing the temps. as they don't even make any sense, you can't really tell the difference once it's this cold seems to me, it's just BL!@$!@$DY COLD and you should stay indoors and MODEL! So the amusement of the day yesterday was that after President Obama was here, to laud the new light-rail and promote his 300+ billion dollar plan to improve the infrastructure in the US, roards rail networks etc., 2 hours later a test train on the line he just visitied derailed because of the ice and snow at an intersection that'd not been cleared as the line isn't "active" yet! I could barely contain myself when I heard the news - what a bunch of pillocks!!!! Who said trains stay on their tracks -->> http://www.twincities.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=5761062 If anyone knows how to make snow burn, let me know, I'm thinking of setting fire to my front yard to keep warm

So here's the view from the Skyway in St. Paul of Union Station and the new light-rail line with shiny new train suitably positioned - the line doesn't open until June, they're only running trials and training staff and drivers at present. President Obama visited the servicing building for the light-rail (red circle in background at end of line about 1/4 mile away), and then spoke in Union Station. Unfortunately, in spite of it appearing he would go in through the grand entrance (green circle) they somehow took him in at the back of the building though the tradesmans entrance, so this is the best picture of his "visit" I got <grumble>

The morning update - it's just getting stupid here <sigh> broke another record for cold (0F or lower) days in winter. Currently -20, wind-chill -28 as reported in a reply, and no sign of it letting up for a week!! It's so cold ("how cold is it") that the roads are in bad shape, nothing can shift the ice/black ice buildup and traffic is slow everywhere, and plenty of folks insisting on actually BRAKING when they come across a patch of ice, rather than just driving at constant speed across it, and ending up spinning-out and creating traffic jams - 2-3 times normal commute times reported overall today! On the "president" front, as he's visiting St. Paul today and will be 4-blocks from me/the office in about 3.5 hours, I may see if I can snag a photo or two of the ensuing mess/pandemonium/congestion that follows him wherever he goes. However, given I'll be taking photos from potentially "strategic" positions in skyways over the street there's probably a 50-50 chance this'll be my last post ever as they wisk me away to be interrogated and confiscate my cell-phone

I've got the Epson V600 (not quite the mass scanning ability of yours!!) still excellent product. I am scanning/archiving all our slidews from years back. My wife even had about 30+ sets her dad took back in the 60's when they lived in Japan - using the enhancement facilities they produced images that are almost as good as she rememebrs when they were first projected. I'm saving the lot at 4800 and TIFF. Decided that anything larger is simply a waste of space and I'll never need any higher quality. I got a 2TB drive to store the stuff on, they're cheap over here now, must be there too?? Also copy them to DVDs in batches as a safety/archive... Think that's odd, there was a reported sighting today of a high schooler waiting for a bus in shorts here - today it's -20C with a wind-chill of -28 - even the radio announcer and weather reported said that was "just plain stupid and dangerous"!!

Happy Birthday Robert... Wow!! Work overtook me early today (way too much SQL to fix for the current client I'm working with - their developer did a runner just after Christmas and left them with a VERY LARGE HANDFUL of C!@#$!A!@$P!!) Getting in here this late means a LOT of reading, but I think I've caught up - too much to really respond to directly, but at least know I read it all and care/sympathise/enjoy/understand/relate to everything <phew> -18C at NOON, blimey, it's going to be stupidly cold FOREVER here! Low -25 tonight and never higher overnight for about the next 5 days. The brass monkey is really REALLY unhappy! Will look back in later, have a great day - what's left of it for you over the pond

As Craig mentioned, Hattons IMHO can hardly be charged with killing-off local shops when they have been in business for as long as they have, must be close on 50 years?? I'd bet fully 80% or MORE of the local shops that have come and gone, have done that SINCE Hattons have been trading. I've been buying from them since the early 80's, so that's 30+ years, and on the occasions I've shopped at "local" shops when back in the UK, many/most have been around far less time. For me personally (and several others on RM) being overseas there really is no other choice - fat chance going into my "local" model shop for anything I need. Never visited their shop (Hattons) in person, as it's too far away from where I usually am in the UK, but other shops I've been in are a very mixed bag in what they have, how they cater to customers and how knowledgeable they are. My phone and online experience with Hattons is always excellent. If you have a good/great local model shop by all means support it, but again IMHO labelling Hattons as some evil destroyer of those local shops isn't quite as fair or justified as some may like to suggest. At the end of the day, any shop/business is not there for "tea and buns", but to provide product, service, and knowledgeable staff to enable them to make a profit, not necessarily in a club environment. I'm sure a local place where you can have a natter and hang around is excellent, if they can make a living and include that all power to them, and I'd support them too if they were local to me.

Blimey Pete, what's 50F like??? and THREE DAYS, you folks out east there must be livin well/correctly, whilst we are still incurrin somone above's wrath!!! <sigh> Based on current projections I'm not sure we'll manage to see daffodils until August, if EVER this year! Right now -19C, may make it all the way up to -13 today if we're lucky , but overnights are down into the -20s next few days. Apparently, with the 5 days straight prediced as well below 0F this week, we'll make the record books as one of the top 10 coldest winters since 1875 - SO FAR!!! Roads are still really rough going due to the extreme cold after the snow storm. All the chemicals and salt they put down hardly work at all when it's this cold and even with the longer days and sunny skies, still not heating the road surfaces enough for it to become really effective - glad I don't have to commute every day, working from home has distinct advantages. Got a significant amount of modelling done yesterday - managed to get ALL the roadbed down for the 4-track mainline roundy-round portion, AND in the engine shed area too. Still fail to realise/accept how slow going soldering droppers to every bit of track and each point is, so my overly optimistic goal of one complete circuit of track running wasn't fulfilled. I don't mind soldering at all, but it all takes so blasted looonnnggg <sigh> Found out my weekly trip into the office Wednesday may be "exciting". Apparently the President is visiting St. Paul Wednesday and speaking at the "Union Depot". A renovated station that is about 4 blocks from the office, actually has a nice restaurant for lunch that we go to occasionally. Anyway, see the map below, "A" being my office and "B" being the depot. Since he's speaking at about noon I may get to the office relatively unscathed, but lunchtime will likely be a !@#!%&@$#!@$# challenge and getting out-of-town after work likely a complete nightmare - secret service and security are usually bonkers within about a 5 mile radius of anywhere the Pressident goes, and my only real options for getting to/from work take me past the airport no matter what - another hot-spot to avoid any time the President is in town, even though seeing Air Force One is a benefit... Those with colds/flu and the like, rest up and take plenty of fluids, we're thinking of you - and as suggested by Pete, everyone get a flu shot too... Have a happy Monday everyone

Early afternoon here - late start posting as I had the opportunity to crack on with some modelling since Mrs took her mother to church (she can't go unless someone takes her, so Mrs takes her a couple of times a month). Amazing what you can get done when totally ALONE and no "items" listed to accomplish in your spare time Anyway - going for consistency here -12 bright and clear. Staying this way most of the week for sure, with lows in the -20s and a chance of snow again tomorrow. Andy - had to laugh at your trials with topsoil and wildflowers had the same experience a couple of years back, left the topsoil anyways and the wild flowers didn't really "suffer" much! Added the photo below - talk of topsoil/gardens is amusing given what you see. It's a view from the back path leading to the back garden. That pile of snow is adjacent to the path, only place to put it is on the lawn - about 4' high now, I should be able to walk straight across from the viewpoint to the fence - HAR HAR!!! The fence in the background is where I'd plant the flowers, it's a small terraced garden, and there's a DROP of about two feet to the lawn from the garden itself, if there wasn't a couple of feet of compressed snow there. Think it'll be somewhat more than a week or two before there any chance/danger of that happening (more like early MAY this year by all accounts!!!)

Happy weekend start to all, -13 here continues to be bright and sunny and bloody cold! At least they're saying no more snow until.................Monday <sigh> Great evening with friends at a local restaurant then back to theirs for some excellent cake, dessert wine and Baileys, amazed I was able to get up this morning So - spend a little time planning a kitchen redo this morning, we've some ideas but need to figure out what they'll really look like - off to find several software freebies to do planning with. Then, some real modelling time, will provide updates as they happen - YAY, <jumps for joy> Have a good Saturday folks

So, late weather update... Snowed here until around 10PM last nigh, plenty of wind with it. We got about 10 inches of heavy wet snow in the metro area, and with the winds they have suggested "travel is not advised on metro area roads" for the morning at least. Rather unusual for here but the blowing is creating too limited visibility. Currecnt conditions are now -13 in once again BRIGHT sun and clear skies, wind finally died down and just a LOT of snow to be shovelled etc. Schools all running late because of buses. We're not going to make it above about -8 through Sunday and colder next week, with lows for the next 3 nights at -18 to -22 Winter is determined to STAY here for seemingly a lot longer - by now we usually are able to see some areas where there is little snow cover and the chance of even a grass sighting - not this year!